Fenians in Canada.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 40, 17 August 1870, Page 7

Fenians in Canada.

TUB FENIAN SCAUE. Tho New York Tribune describes the latest Fenian military enterprise after tho following cruel fashion :—" A plain narrative of this story—a war stopped by .a Marshal and one deputy, a whole army utterly defeated by two men—is so utterly ludicrous that no comment cau improve it. but we have no desire to dwell on the farcical features of this new discovery in strategy ; we have no disposition to speculate upon what would have happened if Wellington hail been arrested by a sheriff's officer in the battle of Waterloo, or Grant lodged in gaol by a Virginia constable while the army of the Potomac was fighting in tho Wilderness. The serious side of General O'Neill's ridiculous blunder is too painful to be laughed at. The folly of this charlatan has cost thousands of working people the last dollar of their savings, and perhaps some poor fellows their lives. It has degraded Irishmen in the estimation of many of their fellow-citizens, who will perhaps overlook the difference between the patriotism of tho people and the imbecile vanity of the leaders. . These are tho sad results of the last' Fenian invasion of Canada. We can only hope that the rank and file may get homo quickly and sound, and save their carpet-bags."

CANADIAN ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OP TROUT RIVER. At about eight o'clock on the morning of this celebrated " battle," it was discos vered that a large body of Fenians had entrenched themselves near Holbrook's Corner. A detachment of the Rifle Brigade, including Prince Arthur's company, with 2;"i0 volunteers and 150 of the Independent Corps, were immediately sent forward to dislodge them. The Fenians opeued brisk fusilade, which was responded to by the Bine Brigade in a terrible manner. Bullets liier.-dly rained down upon the barricade ; and no human force could have lived for ten minutes. With a faint whoop the enemy vacated their shelter, dodged in and out among the brushwood, and on reaching the clear ground, ran with a velocity that none but Fenians could equal. Their flight was most ludicrous. Knapsacks, and—the Fenians' constant companions—whisky flasks were thrown away in the chase; big Fenians fell over little Fenians, and little Fenians fell over big Fenians; officers jostled sergeants, and generals jostled privates; and away they rushed, helter-skelter, without as much as one solitary " Erin go Bragh." It was a miniature Bull Run. Flee!e;t among the fleet was an officer in a bran new uniform, with a fierce-looking plume of green feathers in Ids shako. He must have been at Bull Run. He galloped antelope-like over fences, kangaroo-like over stumps, and on open ground he was equally unapproachable. Of him it may be truly said, in the words of Mark Twain, " None ran that day with more vigor, yet there was much running and a great deal of vigor." About one hundred and fifty yards from the American side, the runners halted and pretended to rally, but the sight of tho Rifle Brigade, closely backed by the Independents was overwhelming, and once, more they were on their way. The scene after the skirmish was a strange one. It might have been thought, without any great stretch of imagination, that the contents of every pawnbroker's shop in Montreal had been sown broadcast on the field. Long-tailed blue coats, with United States army buttons, powder horns, tobacco boxes, and clothing of every description were strewed wholesale over a two-acre field. As tho Rifle Brigade wore returning leisure] v from the Fenian chase, they fell upon a Fenian acting the corpse by the side of a log. A. loud moan betrayed his presence, and wlion it was ascertained beyond a doubt that he was not dead, but scheming, ha was lifted up tenderly by the collar, and questioned as to his intentions. He bitterly protested that he was no " Faynian, but' a dacent, well-raised boy, wid no harm in me at all, at all." Cross-examination revealed that his veracity was not spotless, and he was placed under arrest, with tho comforting assurance from a burly sergeant of the Rifles, " that he would be blown from the cannon's mouth immediately after dinner." The enthusiasm when His Royal Highness Prince Arthur appeared in front of the company was unbounded. Cheer after cheer rent the air, and when they died away, strong lungs pealed forth that grand old anthem, "God Save the Queen."" The Prince acknowledged the compliment' in a graceful manner, and was apparently much affected at the circumstance. TTo "looked remarkably well in his uniform, and was for a fight as his comrades were. When the Fenians turned tail, he joined with all his heart in the loud roars of! laughter and tho hurrahing that greeted I their hurried departure. I